[Questions Concerning Proposed Legislation To Amend Clean Air Act]

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed three bills that would amend the Clean Air Act to control certain pollutants, focusing on whether: (1) the interest costs incurred by utilities in complying with the proposed requirements could be paid from funds made available by the bills; and (2) the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would be making commitments in violation of the Antideficiency Act if the legislation were enacted. GAO determined that: (1) under two of the bills, interest costs for utilities would not be allowable; (2) the two bills could be amended to provide a statutory exception that would allow the payment of interest costs to utilities; and (3) the third bill would provide interest-free loans to help utilities meet their obligations under the bill. GAO also determined that EPA would not be violating the Antideficiency Act under any of the three bills.